Enough sunlight falls on the earth’s surface each minute to meet the world’s energy needs for an entire year.” My son read this conversation statistic at breakfast from the soymilk carton. The kids were fascinated––sure, they’d been fooling around with solar-powered K’Nex for years––yet wondered why they didn’t see many solar panels soaking up all this free energy. How could I help feed their curiosity and nurture their interest? That breakfast quote inspired thoughts of rechargeable batteries, library trips, solar beads, and car kits. But after some Internet research, the winning idea finally surfaced: How about a day at a theme park or hands-on science museum? It was an idea destined for success.

Green Travels
It may have begun three years ago when our family visited The Solar Living Center in Hopland, California. We generated and measured bicycle power, built a solar-powered water pipeline, and manipulated solar panels to speed and slow the flow of solar fountains amidst the sustainable 12­acre gardens. It certainly was the highlight of our week, and we left wondering if there were more fun, green attractions.

Too bad we hadn’t traveled south to Santa Monica or we could have had the ride of a life­time: On the Santa Monica Pier at Pacific Park is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, the Pacific Wheel.

Rising more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, riders not only have a view of the majestic expanse of ocean, they can see more than 650 photovoltaic (PV) panels supplying 71,000-kilo-watt hours of fun power. According to Jeff Klocke, director of sales and marketing, Pacific Park was approached via the Pier Restoration Corporation by Southern California Edison’s alternative energy division in their quest for a high-profile, high-traffic area for public visibility and attention. The utility installed and paid the bill to help promote the use of alternative energy; Unveiled in November 1998, it has garnered a tremendous amount of attention, originally bringing Al Gore to the opening ceremony.

“The beauty of the entire operation is how low maintenance it is; we’ve never replaced a panel,” says Klocke. And efficient: “Any surplus power does not get wasted; it goes back to the grid and we get credit for it,” he says. Today the wheel can accommodate 800 riders per hour and continues to turn the sun into fun, including educational field trips for students and teachers in the area.

Closer to Home?
My family loves to learn about this inspiring technology being used. However, it is rare that we actually get to see wind turbines or solar panels in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We’ve actually been powering our cars by homemade biodiesel and waste vegetable oil for five years, and have seen a tremendous change in the public’s perception of alternative fuels since companies, people (e.g., Willy Nelson), parks, and attractions are helping to turn this tide of alternative ideas into mainstream knowledge.

Imagine my excitement to hear about Hersheypark’s wind turbine and solar panel display. The 60-foot-tall, 10-kilowatt (kW) Bergey wind turbine and 12 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels (mounted on a suntracking system) are situated near the Green Team’s stage. Produced in conjunction with Allan Albert Productions of New York City, the environmental education comedy sketches, juggling, and magic shows provide an inspiring message in the shadow of this installation. Designed to stimulate people to think of other resources, Hershey’s display was installed in July 2003 in cooperation with Community Energy and the Department of Environmental Protection. “It’s a great technology,” says Kent Bachmann, director of design and engineering for Hershey Entertainment Group. “Green technology is a whole new rethink and requires a different approach to learn the new facets.” In addition to an analog real-time energy display, Hershey continues to host successful educational outings and field trips for local students. With 2.5 million visitors per year, Hersheypark is helping to spread excitement and exposure to green fun, not to mention the smell of chocolate wafting on the breeze.

And yet, the next solar panel you find may be in the last place you expect––those ideas are man­ifesting in some unusually beneficial ways.

Take a ski trip to Vail Resorts and you’ll find the BigBelly, a cordless, solar-powered waste compactor. The BigBelly is garnering a lot of attention: Six Flags New England, Universal Orlando, and Sea World have all done trials and liked the concept, and are working with Seahorse Power Company on a model that meets their specific needs. “The amount of trash each person throws away each year is rising sharply, and as theme parks attract more visitors and provide more attractions, the volume of trash to manage will inevitably rise,” says Richard Kennelly, vice president of marketing and sales for Seahorse Power Company.

According to Sierra magazine, in just one year, Americans generate 236 million tons of garbage, and with only 30 percent getting recycled or composted, that’s 164 million tons piling up. “By having solar power used in a practical, familiar role (a trash compactor) that people directly use and interact with, and that children can see at eye level, theme parks can help bring solar power down to earth—bringing power to the people,” says Kennelly.

It’s All in the Attitude
With the rising cost of energy, we’re all feeling the pinch—Americans have long been accustomed to abnormally low energy costs due to government subsidies, while marketing by large utilities encourages dependence for our energy needs. Michael Eckhart, president of the American Council on Renewable Energy, says, “Public attitude is the biggest challenge facing renewable energy––the (belief) that somehow society is supposed to take care of energy for us.” The true price of generating clean air is not clear, and certainly not yet considered a high priority. “The silver lining of the high energy prices is that people demand and care more, and make alternatives gain in popularity and demand,” says Mike Bergey, president of Bergey Windpower Company.

Not a Novelty
Travel around the world though, and you’ll see a different approach to energy. “Solar energy is a very strong trend all around the world, especially in Europe, Japan, and China––it’s a huge phenom­enon around the world that is catching on slowly here—it gets caught in politics,” says Eckhart.

Europa-Park , Germany ’s largest theme park, has a hydroelectric power station that produces approximately 1 million kWh of electricity per year—more than 8 percent of Europa-Park’s annual electric power consumption, according to park spokesperson Esther Wawrin.

Japan is leading the way in solar power generation, with an expansion target of 4,820,000 kW in 2010. “ Japan has succeeded in installing 220,000 solar power systems in this decade,” says Youichi Higashi, senior manager at Kyocera Corporation. “People in this country have been sharing the sense of crisis on the energy problem for a long time. Government housing industries, manufacturers, and individuals have been promoting solar generation systems together.” This mutual relationship has manifested in internationally known exhibitions such as Expo 2005 AICHI Japan, which promotes leading-edge technologies and sustainable global lifestyles and was attended by more than 22 million people.

“It’s a part of life, not a novelty. It’s just escaping the novelty stage in this country,” says Eckhart. “Every science museum in the country is adding solar energy displays––it starts with the science museums.”

Indeed, The Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology in Allentown has added a 102-foot wind turbine, expected to produce between 12,200 and 13,300 kWh per year. This display will serve as an exhibit on alternate energy in addition to reducing the building’s emissions. The wind turbine is part of a new building that is made out of recycled materials that uses natural lighting, and it will soon include a meter inside the building for visitors to read the turbine’s energy out­put. Dennis Zehner, public relations/mar keting specialist says, “Public response has been very positive––people are marveling at it––the wind turbine has become a touchstone to finding the center.”

Providing interesting, cutting-edge technology in parks and attractions is often the only way many people will ever be exposed to this technology. The implications of including solar power in fun venues are that it will enlighten and ease the energy demands of today and build the next generations’ knowledge for wise choices in the future. “The more people see and use solar power in everyday situations, the more people will accept that solar power works and is beneficial in their lives,” says Kennelly.

Others leading the way include The Clay Center for Science & Technology in Brookline, Massachusetts, where an integrated solar- and-wind generating system is used as an educational energy-generating system. The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey, has also offered e-quest, an interactive exhibit featuring wind, water, and solar power. Currently undergoing major expansion and renovation, Liberty will reopen in the summer of 2007.

Kyocera Corporation in Japan offers environmental education classes for elementary through high school students. “We open the Kyocera headquarters building to the public, so that people can freely come and visit to see the actual solar systems; we think it is very important to educate and nurture the next generation,” says Higashi.